Star Dragon and Her Pilots
by Aqua and Luna
Summary: [Bodhi, Han, and Poe] What if pilots could fly dragons? This is the story of Celestial and how she traveled between three skilled pilots. She's witnessed the death of the first and second. And for that, she is eternally sad. But you mustn't always dwell on the past. Sometimes, you have to keep your mind here, in the present. [Chapter 1 is dedicated to Carrie Fisher; 1956-2016]


**Author's Note:** Today's been a sad day. This year's been a sad year. I don't know what to think. Shock. I had this written up yesterday and planned to post it later in 2017. But, then Carrie Fisher (1956 - 2016) died.

It feels, so, far. And it feels so much like the beginning of the year, only reverse, when Alan Rickman died. I had only immersed myself in the Star Wars fandom, Rogue One changed my outlook on the fandom. I loved it. I loved Leia, she was beautiful and different. She was great in the original series. And her come back in the Force Awakens was brilliant. Her and Hon were iconic too.

It had only been a week since I watched Rogue One. I didn't get time to rewatch the original series. But I feel sadness. Carrie Fisher, I hope you have peace in the new world.

*a moment of silence*

2016 was a rough year. But we can pull through...

~Aqua

. . . . .

 **Chapter One. Bodhi Rook.**

A 13-year-old Bodhi Rook reached out to pet Celestial, the huge blue scaled dragon. She rumbled, closing her pale starry yellow eyes and shaking her two pairs of wings that folded and unfolded. They sat in the landing bay together. The younger pilot leaned against the warm scaly surface that resembled the stars; it was almost a feeling that almost lulled him to sleep.

"Celestial, do you think I'm a good pilot?"

The dragon huffed, letting a long curl of smoke leak out of her nostrils. She slapped her long thin tail on the ground. Bodhi took it as a yes.

"My instructor doesn't think so. But, I always get nervous around them." Bodhi responded. Celestial turned her head, shaking her long spiral horns. She bumped her snout against her human's shoulder as in saying, "Well then he shouldn't be teaching someone like you should he?"

Bodhi chuckled at Celestial, she stared at him back. Her normally cold eyes were always friendly around him.

"Celestial, don't ever leave me," Bodhi said quietly.

. . . . .

"And don't return until you've got the gut to kill. Useless!"

A tall man clad in black threw Bodhi out the doors to a Pilot School. The Rook boy flew a few feet and then slammed into the ground. He grunted, turning his back. Tears were already welling up in the corners of his eyes, he was labeled as a failure by the Flight School. He would never be able to become an Imperial Pilot.

Before he knew it, something poked him in the back, lifting him up in the air, and putting him onto a scally back that belonged to Celestial. She nuzzled him in the side, a reassuring sign. But it made Bodhi even more distressed.

"T-they kicked me out." Bodhi hiccuped. He put his face into the dragon's neck, the scales rubbing against his cheeks. Celestial growled. Flames licked the insides of her mouth. She flicked her tail and took off in a sprint. Bodhi had no idea where Celestial was going until she stopped.

She made a small growled. Bodhi looked up. She had taken him to the room they had lived in for the past 16 years.

"I-I can't be brave enough!" Bodhi shouted.

Celestial dropped him to the ground and slapped him with her left wing.

"Hey, what was that for?"

Celestial dropped to her belly and met her human's eyes. Even though they were two different species, the pilot felt like he could understand his dragon. "You still think I'm a good pilot don't you?"

Celestial shook her head in a human-like fashion.

Bodhi rubbed Celestial's side and smiled weakly. "I wonder how you could know. How can you measure my bravery? How?"

. . . . .

"Galen Erso, I want you to watch this trouble maker." Orson Krennic said and pointed his finger at Bodhi Rook and his dragon. The elder man turned his gaze to the young pilot who had been caught practicing on a TIE fighter. He had been relocated from Lothal, his home for 19 years, to Eadu. Since he had failed the Academy.

Bodhi's grip tightened on his dragon. Both in fear and determination.

. . . . .

Galen clasped Bodhi Rook's shoulder and stared into his eyes. "Bodhi, you're not weak. It's hard for anybody to be brave."

Over the last 7 years, the two had become like close friends. They had practiced on their free time, gotten to known each other, and even Celestial had gotten soft around the older man. He learned around Galen's family. And he, in turn, learned about Celestial and Bodhi's life.

"How can you still keep it all up? With the Empire? When your wife was killed and you don't know where Jyn is." Bodhi asked. Celestial breathed out a puff of smoke.

"Because I know if I make myself indispensable, I can leave an opening for the Resistance. And maybe, if I can pass along a note, it can lead to a downfall. And maybe, a better future. And, Jyn's out there somewhere. Alive." Professor Erso responded with a slightly sad tone.

Bodhi looked up and stared it the elder Erso's eyes. Celestial wrapped her tail around the two humans, thus making them smile gently as heat radiated from her scales. "Bodhi."

The pilot turned his head.

"I need you, to do a favor for me."

Bodhi nodded and felt where this was going. "I need you, to take a message to someone named Saw Gerrera, he should be on the desert moon of Jedha." The Scientist passed the dragon pilot a small holographic message. Bodhi looked up and for the first time, fear shown in his eyes.

"What if I can? What if I'm not brave enough?" Bodhi asked in a self-doubting tone of voice. Celestial breathed a small flame. Galen smiled weakly.

"It's easier if you're brave for a cause or a someone you care for. You'll be able to do it." Galen reassured. Bodhi held his breath and shook his head. Celestial's human stood up and gave him a small smile. Celestial trailed behind, ready to put on her equipment for space travel.

Star dragons were, always meant to travel throughout the galaxy. Often, a large piece of equipment was strapped to their back and welded together. It was a rather small box, often only big enough to fit one or two people. Star dragon wings were strong enough to even carry a light shotgun or two. But more often than not they used their breath weapon as a form of fire power. Either fire, ice, lightning. But none of them could world in space.

Once Bodhi was done, he jumped into the cockpit and used the microphone that let sound travel to Celestials ear. "Let's go Celestial."

Celestial took off in a running start, the only other one around was Galen, who was sitting outside, and a Death Trooper on watch. And he wasn't even in view. Dragon claws clattered on the floor like falling marbles and soon they were in the air.

Her double pair of wings beat against the air, powerful muscles at play. Her pale golden eyes were protected by a layer of film that blocked debris from reaching her pupil. They were gaining speed as Bodhi positioned the guns and turned on the support engine for Celestial. Before he knew it, they left the atmosphere.

It was the second time Celestial had been in space, and now she was better prepared for the pressure and difficulties. And now she was slightly older, her scales were harder. Dragons had incredibly huge lungs, but it would only last an hour or so. Bodhi was glad the equipment came with an oxygen tank for Star Dragons.

It would be three hours before Bodhi landed on the moon Jedha.

. . . . .

"If I die, Celestial, I want you to go back to Yavin IV," Bodhi muttered as battle bloomed around him. He was the only one surveying the field after plugging in the radio to allow communication to the rebel fleet above. The pilot pressed his head to the dragon.

Celestial snorted gruffly. Her eyes slit as she launched a sudden magma shot at a group of clone troopers that had spotted them next to the ship. Bodhi went inside the ship and she stood outside. Several more shots of fire left her mouth, all of them landing around or on top of troopers, shooting buckets of sand into the air along with them.

Suddenly, her ears picked up something. It clicked. And clattered on the floor. Before she could screech and shoot the trooper, a grenade went off, destroying the ship and her human in the process. Celestial's prime reaction was to shoot a ball of fire in the direction of the rustling grass. The sound of the dying trooper reassured her, but not for long.

Celestial's eyes went narrow, as dragons didn't cry. But they mourned. Her wings unfurled and she launched into the sky, a bright blue ball of rage as fire left her snout and scorched the ground below. Sand swirled around dangerously and her wings only stirred up more. Death was around her but that didn't matter to the enraged dragon. She took off into the sky and became a force to reckon with.

BOOM! A charged fireball hit an imperial fighter. She took a deep breath and another blast of fire left her, leaving the ground black. As fighters realized they were in proximity with a dragon, they either left her range or started targeting her. Anger and sadness welled up inside the dragon. Nothing could've prevented what happened next.

A huge crack of lightning blasted three imperial ships.

Blaster shots hit the space blue dragon in the air, one of them came in contact with her eyes. She screamed and her wings slammed against the air currents; she shot through the air and in one smooth motion cut through clouds and appeared in space.

Wracked with grief, she flew

away.


End file.
